A device and method for increasing friction of a tire is provided. The device is especially suitable for use on slippery roads, such as roads which have snow and/or ice. The device is permanently secured to the vehicle wheel assembly and easily installed over the tire for use. The device has a plurality of friction grips which independently move from an inactive first position secured to a sidewall of a housing center of the device to an active second position secured over the tire of the vehicle wheel assembly.
It is known to use devices to increase the friction of a tire on certain surfaces, especially on snowy roads in the winter. Existing tire chains are generally secured around a tire and tightened such that the chains and tire move synchronously over the surface of the road. Most of these devices require a user to completely install the friction increasing device (often called “snow chains”) just prior to use and require the complete removal of the device after use. Failure to remove the device on roads which lack snow or ice can result in damage to the wheel, vehicle and road surface and may further be illegal in some jurisdictions.
The most common device used is the conventional tire chain wherein chains wrap around the tire and are tightened to the wheel. The chains then rotate along with the tire. Disadvantages with these devices include the fact that these devices are often difficult and complicated to install over a wheel, especially in harsh weather conditions. Further, these devices are generally heavy to transport and lift. In addition, the installation process is lengthy as the driver must generally place the chains on the ground and then slowly move the vehicle forward or backward over the chains while securing the chains the wheel. Cleaning, folding and storing of these devices are also challenging. Even further, these devices are expensive and generally need to be completely replaced if even a single link of the chain is damaged or broken. Finally, these existing tire chains are generally built for specific size and weight tires and generally cannot be used on alternative tires. In extreme cases, some drivers may stretch or lay the chains over the road surface, without securing them around the tire. The driver may then drive over the unsecured chains to remove the vehicle from being stuck. After becoming free, it is not uncommon for a driver to leave the chains on the road and to continue to drive for fear of becoming stuck again if he or she stops the vehicle to retrieve the chains.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,353 to Kim disclose an apparatus for preventing a tire from slipping. The apparatus for preventing the slipping of a tire includes a wire having separable coupling units connected at both ends of the wire at an inner side of a tire for thereby forming a circle shape having a diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the tire, a plurality of friction members each having one end connected to the wire at a certain regular distance and extended from the wire across a grounding surface of the tire to an outer side of the tire and arranged along a grounding surface of the tire at a certain regular distance, a straight line movement conversion mechanism inserted in an outer center portion of the tire for converting a moment generated in a handle in a radial direction from the center into a tension force in the center direction and applying the tension force to the other ends of the friction members, a reverse rotation prevention unit for preventing a reverse rotation of the straight line movement conversion mechanism, and a pulling apparatus for closely contacting the friction members to the tire by preventing a reverse rotation using the reverse rotation prevention unit wherein the straight line movement conversion mechanism pulls the other ends of the friction members in the center direction of the tire based on the moment applied the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,783 to Thioliere discloses a tire chain assembly including two stays hinged at one end on a housing and supporting wall chains which hold tread chains in place on the tread of the tire when they are pulled tight as the stays are drawn together by a resilient linkage. Arms or resilient linkages control displacement and vibration of the stays when the wheel is moving. The device enables gripping equipment to be fitted quickly and easily and is suitable for use on snow-covered, muddy, sandy, or vegetation-covered terrain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,926 to Wong discloses a traction device for automotive vehicles stuck in snow, mud, and the like by a device applied over the outer face of the slipping driven vehicle wheel and having J-shaped traction fingers draped over the tire of the wheel and fixedly clamped on the tire by merely swinging a lever. The device has a mounting plate for overlying the conventional wheel disk or hubcap, three J-shaped fingers pivoted to the center of the plate and radially guided in 120.degree. spaced apart relation at the periphery of the plate with the cups of the fingers receiving the tire and presenting outer tread surfaces which will bite into the slippery road bed. One of the fingers is retracted on its pivot by a lever or handle effective to clamp all three of the fingers on the tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,425 to Bindel discloses a tire traction chain for automobiles, trucks and the like whereby the same is placed over the tire and secured at one end to arcuate slots in the wheel and at the other end to a lug bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,501 to Brumnier discloses a skid chain construction including at least one pair of skid chain assemblies and each skid chain assembly includes a pair of generally arcuate and parallel anchor assemblies. A plurality of elongated flexible traction members extend between and are secured to corresponding portions of the anchor assemblies spaced therealong. A mounting adapter plate including a central portion provided with a pattern of apertures formed therethrough for registry with the wheel mounting lugs of a vehicle hub portion is also provided and may be mounted on an associated vehicle hub portion between the hub portion and the associated vehicle wheel. The adapter plate includes at least one pair of diametrically opposite radially outwardly extending support arms including outer end portions deflected outwardly to one side of the adapter plate and the outer end portions of the support arms have corresponding ends of a pair of elongated attaching links pivotally attached thereto for oscillation about parallel axes disposed generally normal to the plane in which the adapter plate is disposed. Corresponding anchor assemblies of the pair of skid chain assemblies have their mid-portions attached to the other pair of ends of the attaching links and longitudinally spaced portions of each of the other anchor assemblies have lengths of elongated flexible tension members anchored thereto. An elongated adjustable length tension member is secured between the ends of the pairs of lengths of flexible tension members remote from the corresponding anchor assemblies and the adjustable length tension member may be utilized to tighten the pair of skid chain assemblies about an associated vehicle wheel with the elongated flexible traction members extending over the tread portions of the wheels.
However these patents fail to disclose a device which allows a user to easily and permanently install a tire traction device on a wheel which may be easily moved from a non-function first position to a functional second position. Accordingly, a need exists for a new and improved device and method of use of the same for a device for increasing tire traction on vehicles.